Love, Lies & Mistletoe

by Jennifer Snow

  “Um, actually, I’d like to stop somewhere else real quick...”

  He had to get back to Brookhollow. He shouldn’t even be here at all. He checked the time again, then rubbed his palm across his face. “Okay, but real quick. Where?”

  “My sister’s office.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  EVERY INSTINCT IN Jacob’s body told him to turn around and go back to the car. But his sugar levels were dropping, and he wouldn’t be able to drive if they dipped even lower. So his feet kept moving behind Heather as she climbed the front steps to his lawyer’s office building.

  She gave him a reassuring smile as they entered. “Don’t worry. It will be fine. She doesn’t bite.”

  Still, from what he knew of her track record in court, Cameron’s bark could be pretty intimidating.

  Heather walked over to the security desk, and he reluctantly followed, keeping his head down and his gaze away from the building’s surveillance cameras. He was crazy for doing this. Driving her to the city was bad enough, but this was just plain stupid. “Hey, I really think I should just find something to eat and then go back to the car,” he said.

  She linked her arm through his and pulled him closer as she announced her visit to the security guard at the desk. “Heather Corbett here to see Cameron Ashley.”

  “Which office?” he asked, picking up the intercom phone.

  “Third floor...the entire third floor,” she said with a shrug and an I-hope-that-helps smile, which of course, the guard accepted.

  “Just a minute, ma’am,” he said, dialing third-floor reception. A second later, he covered the receiver and glanced at Jacob. “And you are?”

  “Uh...um...”

  “He’s my driver, Jake,” Heather said with a playful grin.

  The guard nodded. “She’ll be down in a minute.”

  “Thank you,” Heather said, leading Jacob away from the desk.

  He scanned the lobby, uneasiness creeping up his spine. He could be recognized so easily here. He swallowed hard and ducked his head as several lawyers he recognized from court passed them. Being here was a big mistake, getting bigger with every moment. “Heather, I—”

  “Ah, there she is,” she interrupted, staring past him toward the elevators.

  Oh, no.

  “Relax. Just be cool,” she whispered, as she turned him around to face his lawyer.

  Cameron’s smile faded so quickly he thought he’d imagined it when her gaze landed on him. The sound of her high heels against the marble floor kept time with his pounding heart. His breath caught in his chest, and he fought the urge to flee. Though it was probably more the death grip Heather had on his forearm keeping him in place.

  “Hey, sis,” Heather said, finally releasing him and giving her sister a hug.

  Cameron’s arms remained limp at her sides, as she shot Jacob a panicked, annoyed, quizzical look over Heather’s shoulder.

  Now was his chance to escape, but rushing off would be way too hard to explain to Heather, and he was afraid of how Cameron would handle things if he left them alone. So, eyes wide, he shrugged and gave what he hoped was a stay-cool-she-doesn’t-know-anything-this-is-all-a-big-crappy-coincidence expression.

  “Who’s your friend?” she asked a second later, as Heather stepped away.

  “This is Sheriff Matthews—Jake.” Heather smiled.

  How could Heather not feel the suffocating tension in the hallway that threatened to make the entire building implode? “Hi,” he said.

  “Jake?” Cameron repeated, eyeing him.

  He nodded. She knew he hated being called Jake. He had the feeling she was going to be using this shortened version of his name a lot.

  “And what are you doing here, Jake?” she asked.

  Heather glared at her sister. “Be more rude!”

  Cameron ignored her as she continued to stare at him, waiting for an answer.

  “No, it’s cool,” he told Heather. His mouth felt chalky as he turned to Cameron. “I, uh...drove Heather to her interview.”

  “From Brookhollow?” Realization dawned on Cameron’s face.

  Next to him, Heather nodded. “Yes. My driver’s license expired...”

  “Two years ago—yes, I know. I’ve been harassing you to get it renewed for that whole time, remember?” Cameron said, finally taking her eyes off him to scold her younger sister.

  He could breathe again. Heather was still oblivious, so if he and Cameron could just keep acting as if they didn’t know each other, everything would be fine. And as long as Heather never found out they were both deceiving her, then, yes, everything would be fine, he thought wryly.

  “I told Jake I’ll renew it as soon as we get back to Brookhollow, okay, so you can both relax.”

  Relax—ha!

  Heather picked up her bag of clothes. “I’ll be back in a minute...”

  “Where are you going?” they both asked in unison.

  Heather glanced between the two of them. “What’s going on with you two?” Her eyes widened. “Did you two used to date or something?” Now it was her turn to go pale.

  “No!” Cameron said, and Jacob shook his head.

  Man, this was a big mess. One he needed to get out of quickly.

  “Okay...well, I’m going to change, then I desperately need coffee.”

  He watched her disappear down the hall, resisting the urge to grab her leg and beg her not to leave him alone with Cameron. Barely.

  “What is going on, Jacob?” Cameron seethed, advancing toward him the second Heather disappeared from sight. “Or should I say, Jake.”

  “This was not my fault. I insisted I wait in the car while she visited with you,” he said.

  Her mouth gaped. “You think that’s the problem? You shouldn’t even be in the city at all.” Her voice rose, and he motioned for her to quiet down. “And not to mention that there are people in this city who want you dead. Are you trying to get killed before the court case?” Hands on her hips, she looked as if she didn’t know whether to hit him or hide him somewhere.

  “No, of course not. It was stupid coming here—”

  “You think?”

  “Shh! Heather doesn’t know who I am. Let’s just get through the next hour, and then I’ll be back in Brookhollow, and we can pretend I was always there, okay?” He touched her arm.

  “We are so close, Jacob, to getting this guy. You are our key witness. I need you alive. The department needs you alive. You, of all people, should know how important it is that you continue to breathe.” The case was her first priority; he understood that. At least someone was thinking clearly. But while his lawyer might have a lot of time and energy invested in this case, she wasn’t the one who’d been exiled to the middle of nowhere, separated from the only family she had and forced to live lies without a clue how long it would be necessary. Not to mention a dangerous secret backup plan.

  “I know. Just please don’t say anything to the department or the head of witness protection.” If they found out, they could cut Amber and Kyle’s protection, and then there would be no way to ensure his family’s safety. “Please, Cameron.”

  She sighed. “How on earth did my sister convince you to do this?”

  “It’s a long story,” he said, noticing the bathroom door opening. “She’s coming.”

  His lawyer studied him with perceptive eyes. “You’re falling in love with my sister,” she said, her tone annoyed but not entirely surprised.

  He remained silent. Heather was getting closer...and well, he really didn’t know what to say. The truth was, he was falling for Heather. Of course, he had zero intentions of acting on that. Right...’cause the kiss they’d shared was really a sign of him restraining himself.

  “Oh, jeez, Jacob. That doesn’t complicate things at all.”
Cameron smacked him in the back of the head and forced a fake smile as Heather rejoined them.

  “All set—you guys ready to go eat?” Heather asked.

  Jacob cleared his throat. “You know, you two haven’t seen one another in a while, so I’ll let you both catch up. I’ll just wait for you in the car.”

  “Are you sure? It’s totally fine...”

  Cameron nodded. “Actually, if Jake doesn’t mind, I really could use some one-on-one time...try to talk some sense into you,” she added in a mumble.

  Jacob frowned.

  “Huh?” Heather asked.

  Cameron shook her head. “Just about getting your driver’s license renewed,” she said quickly. “Let’s go.”

  Jacob followed the women outside.

  “Are you sure?” Heather asked him again, as Cameron practically dragged her down the street.

  He nodded. “Go eat.”

  As he climbed back in the car a moment later, Cameron’s words played on repeat in his mind. Was he falling in love with Heather? He liked her. A lot. More than he’d liked any woman he’d met in a long time. It just sucked that he was meeting her under these circumstances...when he couldn’t be completely honest with her about who he was.

  But did that option ever exist in his life? In his chosen career? He hadn’t thought so, which was why he’d decided to remain single instead of complicating his life and someone else’s. Going undercover with a wife and family waiting and worrying back at home hadn’t seemed fair.

  He doubted that things could ever work between him and a woman. Just the idea that being with him could put yet another person’s life in danger was enough for him to stay away.

  Jacob drove away down the crowded street, not realizing the direction he was headed until ten minutes later, he parked across from his sister’s gallery—Amber Marx Studios. Paintings were still displayed in the window, but the open sign was off and stacks of old newspapers littered the step. Through the front window, the place looked dark and deserted. Such a stark contrast to the lively showings and artist events his sister had held there regularly. Since opening the gallery four years before, Amber had made quite a name for herself in the art world, and her studio had been on its way to becoming the spot to discover new talent in New York.

  Guilt washed over him. Amber had given up so much for the safety of her son—and herself. A predicament he’d put them in. Telling them they would have to go into witness protection had been the hardest thing he’d ever had to do and one of the worst things their family had had to face.

  He remembered that day five months ago well...too well.

  The terror in his sister’s eyes when she’d opened the door to their apartment and dragged him inside was a punch to the gut. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Amber afraid. Mad—yes. Annoyed—most of the time. But scared—never.

  “Where’s the note?” he’d asked, glancing around the apartment. If these guys had gone to his nephew’s school, they wouldn’t hesitate to show up there. The thought had made him nauseous, and the idea that these dangerous men would go anywhere near his family had made his blood run cold.

  Her hand shaking, Amber had taken the note from the pocket of her sweater and handed it to him.

  The threatening words were written in crayon, but this was no schoolyard prank. The L.G. at the bottom of the page was a signature he’d seen many times and would recognize anywhere. And he knew what it meant—his family was being targeted. Gonzales’s men liked to toy with people, make them afraid, then strike. But even though they prolonged the torturous suspense, they always struck. He knew. He’d been forced to strike with them.

  Maybe this was retribution for the pain and suffering he’d been a part of. He couldn’t mess with other people’s lives and not expect some form of punishment. Good or bad, lives were lives, and hiding behind his badge and the idea that one less criminal on the street was best for everyone didn’t change the fact that now his family was suffering the consequences of his failure.

  “It’s for real, isn’t it?” Amber had asked, pacing the living room.

  He’d nodded.

  “Damn it, Jacob—what are you involved in?”

  He hadn’t answered. She knew he couldn’t tell her anything about the cases he worked on. Instead, he’d dialed his commanding officer’s number. “I’ve got to get you both out of here.”

  “What do you mean? A hotel?”

  “No, that’s not safe enough. They’re watching. These guys have eyes everywhere.” His boss’s phone had continued to ring while Jacob pried open two slats in the blinds and checked outside. The cartel could even have been watching at that moment. He couldn’t get his family out of there fast enough.

  Amber had reached out and snatched the phone away, disconnecting the call, just as his boss had answered.

  “Amber.”

  “We’re not leaving New York, Jacob.” She’d wagged his cell phone at him, angry tears glistening in her eyes.

  “You don’t have a choice. These guys are not messing around. They know where Kyle goes to school. They more than likely know where you both live, where you work...” It didn’t take these men long to gather all of the information they needed on someone.

  “Okay, so we’ll move into your apartment for a few weeks until this all blows over.”

  His sister hadn’t understood. “This stuff doesn’t just blow over. I’ve been undercover on this case for two years...” He’d run a hand through his hair, unsure how much he could and should reveal. Enough to convince her this was serious. “My cover was blown last night...and I know far more than they’ll allow me to live knowing.” He’d put his hands on his hips and sighed. “I need to get you both under witness protection as soon as possible.” Like yesterday. They’d already stayed there long enough. He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to his family.

  Her eyes had widened. “Witness protection? No way. I’ve been busting my butt to get ready for my biggest gallery showing of the year in two weeks, and Kyle just started making friends at his new school—you know how hard that is for him.”

  Jacob had cringed. His nephew suffered from a mild form of autism and was often misunderstood by teachers and bullied by peers. To hear he was doing better, then turn around and ask them to uproot, tore a hole through him. Kyle making friends and his sister’s gallery showing were important, but nothing was more important than staying alive and safe. “You’re both in danger.”

  “Because of you and your job,” she’d said angrily.

  He’d bitten back the argument rising within him—his job had almost torn the family apart when he’d been forced to arrest his father. Jacob had been the one responsible for putting him behind bars three years ago, and he knew his sister blamed him for dismantling the family. “I’m sorry. I realize this is unfair, but I need to think about your safety.”

  Defeated, his sister had slumped into a chair. “I can’t believe this is happening. Where are we going to go?”

  He’d gently taken his phone away from her and hit redial on his boss’s number. “I don’t know and I won’t know.” The best option he had for protecting them was not to find out where they were going. Then he couldn’t reveal any information—under any circumstances.

  “You’re not coming with us?”

  “No.”

  “We have to leave, but you get to stay in the city?” Her anger had returned.

  “No. I’ll be sent somewhere else.”

  Tears of frustration had gathered in his sister’s eyes once again, breaking his heart. “What am I supposed to tell Kyle? He’s going to hate this.”

  “I’ll talk to him.” The boy’s father had left when he was just a baby...then Jacob had put his grandfather in jail. Would the boy understand he wasn’t leaving him by choice?

  “When will we be able to come bac
k home?”

  “I don’t know,” he’d said as his boss answered.

  Staring at the gallery now, he knew he’d done the only thing he could to protect his family, but still the guilt plagued him. Amber had never approved of his decision to go undercover, and at the time he’d felt his life choices didn’t really affect her.

  How wrong he’d been.

  * * *

  “WHAT IS UP with you? I thought you’d be happy to see the sister you haven’t seen in months,” Heather said, struggling to keep up with Cameron on the slushy sidewalk. Her sister took mastery of heels on snow to a whole other level.

  Cameron sighed. “I am... I just wasn’t expecting...”

  “Jake?” Heather frowned. “I told you, he’s the new local sheriff in Brookhollow. Well, actually, he’s been there now for about five months. By law, he couldn’t let me drive out here for the interview with an expired license, so he offered to drive me.”

  Her sister stopped in front of their usual lunch meet-up, a café on the corner of Wall Street—one Heather had missed terribly. Her expression was unreadable. “And that’s all there is to it? He was just being neighborly instead of giving you a ticket? You’re sure?”

  Cameron was perceptive. Three minutes of seeing her with Jake had obviously set her spidey senses tingling.

  Still, she lied. “Yes.” A memory of his kiss on the side of the highway almost betrayed her, so she moved past her sister into the café. “Come on, I’m starving...and I do have someone waiting on me.” The thought of the roadtrip back with Jake brought a small smile to her face.

  “Right there! That smile—I knew it,” Cameron said, selecting a turkey sandwich from the cooler and a low-fat bran muffin from the basket on the counter.

  Heather reached for a ham sandwich and a double-chocolate cookie. “You know nothing. You’re reading way too much into this.”

  They paid for their orders and found a table near the fireplace in the corner of the café. “How well do you know this guy?” Cameron asked, unwrapping her sandwich.